I have a 93 mustang LX convertable 4 cylinder

75

Asked by Tyler Sep 21, 2009 at 12:38 AM about the 1993 Ford Mustang LX Convertible RWD

Question type: Car Customization

I wanted to know a few simple ways to make it just a little bit faster,anything will help Thanks. A lot of people when I tell them that my car is a 4 cylinder, they always say thats not worth calling a mustang. I always say its got the name on the back and thats enough for me, but the truth is,I would love to make my baby a little faster, but A: I don't have the money to drop a 5.0 engine in it, and B: I don't want to put a new engine in it, because it's my first car and don't want to do something that big to it at the moment. Just a couple of little things that will add up performance and speed wise. Thanks

16 Answers

15

cold air intake, exhaust, tune up, suspension, brakes, maybe check out an SVO turbo upgrade out of the for cylinder notch then all you have to switch over are the turbo components

1 people found this helpful.
75

I appreciate it, Ive already got the prices for the cold air kit piece by piece at autozone but there is a shop up the street from me that specializes in mustangs and they said if I did I would have to redo the transmission so that it could handle the power, exhaust,my dad was telling me that getting the true exhaust would boost it more than just the one pipe spliting into two pipes. That shop was also tellin me that the turbo would put me back at least $1000. But alot of these places are just B.S.ing. Im just not sure where to start. I just got new brakes but it's still taking me way too long to stop,and I don't know what that could be.

2 people found this helpful.
15

the fox bodys brakes were very inadiquite no matter what the model was. do your brakes sink to the floor when you push them or is there a decent amount of pressure ?

75

There's pressure but about in between sinking and having good pressure, but the brake light is still on even after the guy finished doin them,he said the reason the light was on was because of an air pocket that either was there or still is and I was suppose to reset it somehow but I don't know, I just know that it's taking way to long for me to stop with new brakes.

1 people found this helpful.
45

Cold intake helps alot, I had a 88 lx convertible 2.3 car i made a cold air intake for it by used 3 inch exhaust tubing and a k&n cone filter. It helped at the top end alot. I also ordered a 2 1/4 inch exhaust (muffler, and tailpipe from a 83 5.0 gt) also punching the convert helped and it sounds cool!! If you have anymore quetions feel free to email me at tjgtstang@hotmail.com.

1 people found this helpful.
55

whats up dude. i know alot about the fox body stangs. 2.3's and 302's. well in 1984-1986 ford made a 2.3 turbo called the mustang svo. if you do a bit of searching, you might be able to find a good condition svo intake manifold and the original turbo turbine and tubing. but if thats a little too costly for you, you could always go with more performance based heads, or a better cam? hope it helps man. p.s the stock 2.3's only have about 93hp =( no bueno. the 302's had right at 200! (go 5.0's!!)

1 people found this helpful.
1,255

mill the head, and get a valve job, but that would take thecar out of commision for a little while. so simple little bolt ons are a bigger trottle body, probly from a thunderbird 2.3 (might reqire spacer or adapter plate) , cold air kit, new higer lift cam. but i'l admit that it will b hard to find somethings for cheap, since the 2.3 wasn't really used much for performance. but if u know people and had some resources then i bet u could find a working 5.0L for under $1000, cuz my buddy pulled one out of a 1990 crown vic sitting in the scrap yard for $250, and it runs.

1,255

as in new rotors and pads, or did u get the calipers replaced too? if u didn't get the calipers replaced then the brake pistons could b a little corroded if the seal is gone bad. or u could just have air in your lines. p.s. i know ur not any kind of mechanic but when u are having problems with somethnig try to describe, what it's doing or what's happening to it. such as ur brakes, if there is air in the lines then brake pedal will go all the way to the floor with less pressure than if not.

1 people found this helpful.
75

that's something I said earlier was that a shop near me said if I did go with the turbo, I'd have to get a whole new transmission to handle the power, and I don't know if they're trying to do more than what is needed or what.

75

Well, I just wasn't paying attention, but now that I am it isn't as much as it should be. I drive my dads truck every now and then, and I got my brakes done more recently than he did, and he has a lot more pressure on his pedal than I do. I got in my first wreck b/c of bad brakes and I got lucky she didn't ask for insurance,b/c I haven't been able to afford it. I just don't want to take the chance of that again. It's got some pressure but nowhere near what he's got.

1 people found this helpful.
65

hey whats up if helped buuld up about 8 mustangs over that last year 2 happen to be 4 calenders to make them faster we took out the stock air box and put a cone filter from any auto store changed all the plugs and wires and that got it to scoot but the big problem with the 4 cylenders i have found out is the trany can;t support much more power than what the engine is giving out stock so what ever up grades you do keep that in mind and don't romp on the trotal

16,905

i read you initial comment about not having the money to drop in a new engine but have you check a local junk yard for a 5.0? you could probably pick one up for $250-500.

445

first of all see what tranny you have in their if its a tremic five speed those will hold a turbos power if you want to go that route. I know what I'm talking about I'm ase cert. your brakes go to the passenger wheel cylinder and bleed them forward if you still have the same problem your calipers are done for and you need to up grade any braking for more power/speed. as for swapping to a junk yard 5.0 they are about $500 but then you need all the wiring as well unless you carbbed 5.0 motor but no matter what if you turbo or drop in a 5.0 you will have to change the fuel delivery system from a turbo car or 5.0 would be the cheapest (junk yard) I have swapped six stangs from 4 bangers to 302ci. three stangs from a 302ci to a 351ci windsors and five stangs with a 302ci bored and stroked to 347 stroker motors and put over 3000 hours of port and polishing over the years. now thats said cold air and throttle body spacer, headers/exhaust and a high flow cat at 2 1/2 in exhaust strait back will flow just fine for a 4 banger you can run single or dual as for punching out your cat DONT DO IT if you need to smog your stang later on it will fail every time and cost you more in the long run. other things you can do are high out put cam one step up maybe two and you dont have to change head or up grade the valves and springs or injectors. port matching all of your intake and exhaust gaskets will help you out a lot as well for air flow in and out. hope this helps you good luck just remember if you make your stang go faster you will need to up grade your brakes as well.

5 people found this helpful.
35

fyi i think that shop is b.s.ing u b/c i have never heard of someone having to redo the tranny after a few simple bolt-ons. now if u were to do the SVO upgrade then yes u probably wold have to have the transmission redone. The best advice i can give u as a fellow small motors performance junkie is call Summit Racing and talk to their support staff and see what they say about building up the 4cyl. If u live in Georgia, Indiana, or Las Vegas you can go visit one of the Summit Racing stores and see just what they have to offer from brakes to exhaust to wheels and tires and even aftermarket fiberglass hoods. I wish you the best of luck with your project and have fun .

2 people found this helpful.

Your Answer:

Mustang

Looking for a Used Mustang in your area?

CarGurus has 23,261 nationwide Mustang listings starting at $1,900.

ZIP:

Own this car?

Share your experience with others.

1993 Ford Mustang

Review another car

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Gene Arnett
    Reputation
    3,130
  • #2
    Bob Beaman
    Reputation
    2,680
  • #3
    rst429
    Reputation
    2,590
View All

Know more, shop wisely

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Chevrolet Camaro
510 Great Deals out of 9,856 listings starting at $2,495
Used Chevrolet Corvette
612 Great Deals out of 11,265 listings starting at $4,999
Used Ford F-150
5,575 Great Deals out of 112,089 listings starting at $1,995
Used BMW 3 Series
1,031 Great Deals out of 12,980 listings starting at $955
Used Ford Mustang SVT Cobra
7 Great Deals out of 151 listings starting at $7,995
Used BMW M3
53 Great Deals out of 1,129 listings starting at $9,981
Used Honda Civic
1,089 Great Deals out of 31,158 listings starting at $1,495
Used Toyota Supra
24 Great Deals out of 484 listings starting at $34,999
Used Jeep Wrangler
3,056 Great Deals out of 53,549 listings starting at $3,000
Used Honda Accord
1,285 Great Deals out of 27,828 listings starting at $999

Used Cars for Sale

2024 Ford Mustang For Sale
32 Great Deals out of 12,510 listings starting at $26,515
2023 Ford Mustang For Sale
37 Great Deals out of 586 listings starting at $23,403
2022 Ford Mustang For Sale
68 Great Deals out of 786 listings starting at $19,990
2021 Ford Mustang For Sale
117 Great Deals out of 1,268 listings starting at $14,952
2020 Ford Mustang For Sale
79 Great Deals out of 1,002 listings starting at $14,691

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.